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Homeowners know remodeling their kitchen is the key to improving their quality of life and the value of their home. The kitchen has become the gathering place. With the right kitchen designer, you'll transform the most important room into the best room in your house.

The national average age of American houses is 36 years. As your home ages, it's important to maintain and improve your largest investment. When you need a Kitchen Remodeler, think of ConstructionDeal.com and post your request with us!

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This is our Kitchen Remodeling Blog where we cover all the latest tips and helpful information on the best ways to remodel your kitchen! Bookmark this blog to keep up to date on the latest trends and ideas in remodeling!

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Kitchen Renovation: Designing for the 2-Cook Kitchen

From the article Trends in Kitchen Design from the Northwest Renovation magazine:

"Depending on how the duties are divided in a two-cook kitchen, it may be necessary to create two work triangles, with adequate preparation space and clear work centers for each person in a layout that carefully avoids traffic jams. The traffic pattern of each cook should be free from interruption, allowing each to work without bumping into the other.

There are several ways to establish work zones in a two-cook kitchen:

Increase walkway clearances, providing each cook with adequate passing space when both cooks are in the kitchen. Walkways expand from 42” in a one-cook kitchen to a minimum of 48” in a two-cook space.

Expand countertop space to accommodate the needs of both cooks, with an eye to the accessibility of the equipment and material to be shared by each person.

Create a special work center adapted to the specialized needs for one of the cooks: a baking center or barbecue area separate from the primary cook’s triangle.

Vary countertop heights to accommodate the variety of heights of the current or future users, providing raised counters for taller users, dropped counters for shorter cooks. A dropped countertop, set at table height, is also a convenient height for a baking area, ergonomically favorable for rolling and kneading dough.

Include a work island to create a separate workspace apart from the primary cook’s activity centers"

Talk with a Kitchen Designer if you plan on having two cooks in your new kitchen. If you don't already have a kitchen renovation company in mind, post your request on ConstructionDeal.com. It's a fast and free way to let kitchen designers know about your project and, if they're interested, contact you directly. It beats picking one or two companies at random in the yellow pages.

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What's Cooking in Kitchen Design?

From a kitchen design article in the Alabama Press-Register there is some discussion of what the latest trends are in luxury kitchen design- of note, what some designers were seeing at the Parade of Homes tour: "Custom builder Mark Swanson and his wife, Jennifer, tour parade homes in other cities to get new ideas, he said. One feature people in higher-priced homes want are quartz countertops instead of granite, he said.

Swanson built a 4,300-square-foot house in Newcastle for the Parade of Homes, including many of the latest kitchen trends: Cambria quartz countertops; a 36-inch wide cooktop and oven, plus a separate, second oven; a pot-filler over the stove; a copper, vented hood; stainless steel appliances; built-in desk; and slide-out drawers in the cabinets.

Other kitchen items such as wine or beverage coolers, warming drawers, two dishwashers and islands with a sink continue to be popular, according to builders. Commercial ranges and Sub-Zero refrigerators are also must-haves for many of his clients

Still, Swanson said he can't build everything into a kitchen. He recalled once putting $25,000 worth of appliances in a client's kitchen that never gets used -- the owners don't cook."

RELATED POSTS:
2007 Kitchen Design Trends
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If you do like to cook and would like new appliances installed in your new kitchen, you can find a quality kitchen design company in your neighborhood with ConstructionDeal.com. It's a free service for all homeowners and it saves you time.

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The Kitchen within a Kitchen

We're always interested in discussing trends in kitchen design. People want to know what's hot and what's not. Whenever anyone considers remodeling their kitchen, they're generally spending a lot of hard-earned money to do it. So homeowners, like you, want to know what might be a wise investment and what might be a catastrophic renovation.

I found a article on KIROTV.com called "Beyond Fads: 5 Trends in Kitchen Design That Are Here to Stay" and here is my favorite section of it, on putting a 'kitchen within a kitchen':

"As more Americans build homes with kitchens that are open to living and dining rooms, kitchens are being treated more like any other room in the house, with elaborate moldings, specialty lighting, and finely crafted floor and ceilings. 'People need their kitchen to be expandable and collapsible, too,' Cheever added. 'On the weeknights, they need to be able to navigate their kitchen quickly when they're just warming up a simple meal. But on the weekends, they need it to open up enough so they can prepare a fancy gourmet meal and entertain a large group of friends while they are cooking.'

As a result, designers are creating quick prep areas where a small sink, cutting board, and microwave are close together. Larger homes are often using a small butler's pantry off the main kitchen for this purpose, with a clean up sink, microwave, prep area and small refrigerator.
The butler's pantry has the added convenience of keeping dirty dishes out of the way while entertaining, and storing large amounts of serve ware, linens and china.

Cheever noted that customers are also putting in larger sinks in the island, to make a food prep zone, and placing larger farmhouse sinks along the back wall for more elaborate "clean up centers.' 'The days when kitchens always had one sink right under the kitchen window appear to be over,' Cheever said."

If you'd like to discuss some of your kitchen remodeling plans with a designer, you can post your project with ConstructionDeal.com and we'll match you with local pros. For free. It's a fast, free & easy way to find a kitchen remodeling company.

Kitchen Remodeling: Outdoor Kitchen Designs

No matter what part of the country you live in, there is usually plenty of time in the summer to enjoy outdoor cooking. More and more people are having outdoor kitchens installed in back and side yards to make the most of their outdoor time (and maybe even extend it.)

If you're planning to add a kitchen outside for next summer, we wanted to give you some design ideas to consider and discuss with your Outdoor Kitchen Design company.

The Basics - What You Have to Have:

Most people wanting an outdoor kitchen may have, at most, a grill in the backyard. Perhaps there is a patio table with an umbrella. Each time you want to grill out, you've got to carry everything outside - food to cook, condiments, drinks, silverware & plates, etc. And you've noticed that you need prep space.

For a basic outdoor kitchen installation, plan for a counter that houses a quality grill. The counter should have some storage space to hold non-perishables and adequate countertop areas to prepare for grilling. Make sure the grill is accessible for repairs and that the propane tank can be easily refilled.

The Next Level - What You Want to Have:

The real value of the outdoor kitchen is a complete outdoor dining experience. You want it to be an extension of your house - a whole new room - that allows you all the conveniences of being in your regular kitchen but being able to spend more time outside. To take it to the next level, here are components you'll seriously want to consider:

• A Sink for your counter - not required but very convenient
• A Refrigerator - saves you time; great for storing condiments, beverages, and food ingredients
  
• A Wood Burning Oven - perfect for making pizzas, bread, veggies and more
• Electricity, Water and Gas Lines - water for your sink and for the ice-maker, outlets for running other appliances, and gas or propane for your grill to avoid constant changing
• Seating - if you can have furniture that is installed near or around your outdoor kitchen, it will really increase the enjoyment of the area. Similar to regular kitchens, it's important to be able to have family and friends around before and during food prep
  

A Cut Above - What You Want: The Upscale Version

You'll want all the items above, but you'll want to add a lot of the creature comforts to the design mix. An upscale outdoor kitchen will also have:

• A Fireplace, Heaters, and/or a Fire Pit - keeping your guests warm will go along way to giving you the perfect outdoor kitchen and can extend the grilling season
  
• A Roof - overhead protection from the elements can also go a long way to extending time spent outdoor. A roof can also allow you to add accent lighting for more ambiance
  
• Custom Cabinetry - quality cabinets, with granite counters, and kitchen islands and outdoor kitchen bars will give you the best of the best in moving the kitchen outdoors
• Appliances - some want all the conveniences and are adding dishwashers, microwaves, and other regular kitchen appliances

Different designs can help give you what you want and can physically add a whole new room to your house. Depending on how far you go on the quality and amenity scale, your outdoor kitchen can run anywhere from $2000 to $50,000. Some are even spending upwards of $100,000 for a complete state-of-the-art outdoor kitchen. If you're not sure what you'd like to do with your outdoor space, you can talk to an outdoor kitchen expert.

Post your project on the ConstructionDeal.com site - for free - and we'll match you to quality outdoor kitchen design experts who can help make a space that's perfect for you (and for your budget!)

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2007 Kitchen Design Trends

According to the Kitchen & Bath Design website, there are two emerging trends for the kitchen for next year and beyond:

"One [trend] is a sleek, ultra-contemporary kitchen aesthetic, with appliances built-in and concealed. The other is a slightly more traditional, but still uncluttered, kitchen style that puts stainless steel, pro-style appliances on proud display.

And what's the common thread linking the two distinct kitchen design trends? The demand for a host of appliances that go beyond the dated 'stove, fridge and dishwasher' combo.

Indeed, the designers agreed that having double ovens, two dishwashers and/or dishdrawers, multiple refrigerator/freezer drawers, and even a cooktop with a separate range is fairly commonplace in upscale kitchens. How many "multiples" of appliances installed in an upscale kitchen is only limited by the size of the space, with every inch maximized for optimum function.

Specialty appliances are also in demand, noted the designers, with built-in coffee makers, warming drawers, undercounter beverage centers and wine storage units leading the pack.

Demand for function also extends to cabinet interiors, with myriad storage options being installed by designers to better organize busy clients and de-clutter their lives.

Green design is also making headway, with designers noting that consumers are becoming more aware of the need for water conservation, and for easy-to-maintain products.

In terms of overall kitchen and bath design, Friedman noted: 'It's very interesting that after the last 15 years of more minimalist designs, which was in answer to the more ornate designs from 20 to 30 years ago, designs are becoming softer, more romantic and more sensual. There's a movement toward more decorative designs that are more refined, tasteful and contemporary than those 30 years ago. People are seeking more authentic period pieces, and classic, contemporary pieces that are better detailed than years ago. There’s more of a classic look with much cleaner lines now.'"

When you're ready to remodel your kitchen, consider posting your project with ConstructionDeal.com. We can match you with local kitchen designers to help you get the kitchen of your dreams and to help keep you up to date with the latest trends in remodeling. You can post your request for free on our site, you'll receive multiple bids from interested kitchen companies, and you'll save money by going with the best bid for your plans.

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Save Money when Remodeling your Kitchen!

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) has some great tips on how to save money when you're remodeling your kitchen. This list could be used entirely, or you can obviously pick and choose which ones would work for you. The whole point, of course, is to make sure you get to update your kitchen without breaking your bank.

Because the kitchen has become the most important room in the house, many feel pressured to spend more than they can afford. While it's nice to have all best luxury the world has to offer, you don't want to go overboard. Also, many people will get their first few estimates on a kitchen renovation and convince themselves it's either spend $60,000 or get nothing done at all. There are different levels for every remodeling project. And there is a wide choice in the materials that you use. Consult with a kitchen remodeling company and let them know that you'd like to use some or all of the following budget saving advice:

• "If at all possible, reuse existing appliances, and build your new cabinets around them. This could save you anywhere from $1,500-5,000 easily. However, be aware that appliances, like anything electrical, are sensitive to change and may develop problems if they are moved. Should you decide to avoid potential appliance "burn-out" and purchase new appliances, choose energy conscious models for a reduction in your utility bills.
• Maintain present location of major fixtures, appliances and utilities relative to the plumbing, gas and electrical outlets. This could even apply to the location of the telephone. Moving plumbing, wiring and jacks can be extremely expensive.
• The faucet can be a costly item. The least expensive selection is chrome. Even a high-end chrome faucet is considerably less than a mid-range brass or porcelain version. A standard two-handle faucet generally costs less than single handle. Faucets and handles are sold separately, so you may want to choose a chrome faucet with brass or porcelain handles for a different look. Faucet Caution: The price variances in faucets reflect the various internal and external features. Always choose a faucet with replaceable internal parts. You won't want to have to replace the entire faucet if it breaks-it's simply not cost-effective.
• Choose neutral colors in fixtures, appliances and laminates. They are less expensive initially and wont look dated when the color trends change. White and almond sinks are much cheaper than color varieties. And neutral laminate colors for countertops are less than custom colors or textures.
• Good floor covering is important. It ties one room to another and provides visual consistency. Familiarize yourself with the prices of the various flooring materials to make the best decision for your home. To get you started, vinyl or laminate flooring is less expensive than wood, tile or slate.
• Use the existing floor covering if it is still in good condition. If the kitchen has old vinyl flooring, there may be a hardwood floor underneath that could be sanded and refinished, avoiding the need for a new floor entirely.
• If you currently have a vinyl floor covering and wish to update with a newer version, you can install synthetic floor leveler material over the existing vinyl floor and lay the new vinyl flooring on top, rather than tearing the old flooring off to install the new.
• Consider your cabinet options carefully. Those choices will drive the overall price. You can add some options at a later date to defray some of the initial cost. Some that are easy to add include tilt front doors, spice racks and slide out wire baskets. However, if you decide to wait, make certain that the option you want will be available and can be added after installation. Note of Caution: Waiting will cost you more in the long run. Adding new cabinets often requires installing a new floor. Refacing existing cabinets not only eliminates the need for new flooring, countertops and appliances altogether, it is a major savings in any kitchen remodel.
• Go with a simple design in the kitchen employing single height wall cabinets, blind corner cabinets rather than those with Lazy Susans, and other standard options. Watch your upgrades.
• Use standard cabinetry instead of custom cabinets, or use a combination of the two if they are compatible.
• Choose cabinets that can be operated without the addition of hardware (those that are finger-pulled).
• Install cabinets without soffits to decrease the labor cost. Also consider cabinets without trim moldings or with simple trim.
• If you are going to put in new wood trim (in your crown molding, trims, and door casings) to match the new cabinets, order pre-finished trim instead of having the painting or staining done on-site. This will decrease labor cost. Ordering finger-jointed vs. clear vertical grain also will save you money.
• Consider stenciling on the backsplash instead of using tile.
• Laminate countertops are the least expensive choice among solid surfacing, tile and granite. You can dress it up with wood or tile trim for a more innovative look.
• Connect fluorescent light fixtures to the existing ceiling fixture box instead of installing new recessed lighting, which may require a new ceiling because of the recessed features."
  

Keep in mind that you need to make sure the completely remodeled kitchen looks good together. If you choose not to replace your appliances and they are now surrounded by a nice new countertop and new cabinetry, will those appliances look out of place and ruin the whole thing?

Also, you don't ever need to try to put in the same kitchen you'd find in a million dollar house - in fact, it could really make the rest of the house look sad and outdated. Not every kitchen needs to have granite countertops - ceramic tiles are perfectly acceptable, look great, and can save you a lot of money.

Finally, be creative with your kitchen renovation. You could add a chalkboard-like surface material to your refrigerator to write notes to the family. You could make your kitchen match a French cafe with a statue of a chef holding the menu for the day. Consider going with a 50's Diner Retro theme. All the expensive kitchens have the cherry cabinets and granite countertops -- be different, be innovative, and have fun!

If you'd like to discuss your kitchen remodeling budget with a local kitchen design pro, you can post your request with ConstructionDeal.com - it's a fast and free way to get matched to quality kitchen experts!

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